Glass - Doing More with Less

GPD 2023 Tampere

Graham Coult
Technical Director
Status Quo
Where are the benefits?
Cullet Quality
Direct responsibility

Unesco, Paris
Domestic vs Commercial
Domestic vs Commercial

70% 30%
Flat glass market is not alone
Soda Lime glass in UK

Glass fibre products and special glasses 12% 1%

10%
Solar
12%
Flat Glass

Automotive
24%
Container | Flint (Clear)

Container | Green
36% 5%
Container |Amber
Soda Lime glass in UK (clear glass) (Mt)

Glass fibre products and special glasses

0,35 0,05
Solar

Flat Glass 1,26

Automotive 0,84

Container | Flint (Clear) 0,16

Identify highest carbon impact
Production Energies for glass products GJ/t

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
Container Flat Glass Glass fibre
Cullet Quality - Contaminants
3000 3055

100

2000

60

25
20

10 10
210
2 0,5 0 45 47,5

FE Non-FE Inorganic Organic Total Limit

Container Insulation Flat Container Insulation Flat
What can be done?
Reusing Glass

isoMax GSF, Netherlands

Recovering Glass
Storage/Transfer
Station

Collection Points

Ad Hoc/Projects

Waste Park

Container Rental

Vlakglas Recycling, Nederland

What could be achieved?
What are the effects…
Glass cullet
Less than 5% returned, Less than 1% reused in Flat Glass.
800,000
Tonnes/ yr
 Current material route

Internal
Pre-consumer

Post -consumer
Practical Application
What can we do?
Sphere of Influence
National Government

Local Government

Urgency and Practicality Industry Trade Bodies

of working bottom -up

Corporate Governance

Project
Simple Actions - EOL

1. Engage with Client at earliest opportunity

2. Survey of glass and glass types on building including framing – Pre-development audit
3. Demolition specification
4. Can the glass be reused – (with or without reconditioning)
5. If glass can be used, who will store and catalogue, grade and provide assurance for the product
upon reuse
6. Better tools for assessment of carbon intensity and energy balance?
7. Consult with glass waste carriers for route back to supply chain
8. Seek confirmation of cullet destination.
Collaborate and share
Thank you
@eocengineers